Apparatus for applying hoods to containers



Oct. 22, 1935. w. c. MccoY 2,018,409

APPARATUS FOR APPLYING HOODS TO CONTAINERS Filed April 20, 1954 Y William aMs'cqy ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 22, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR. APPLYING HOODS T0 `CONTAINERS 13 Claims.

My invention relates to .an .apparatus for applying ra yhood or covering to 'the tops of containers, such as bottles, and more particularly to an apparatus for shaping such covers from iiat sheet material and applying an elastic band thereto.

In bottling milk or cream for delivery it has been found desirable for sanitary reasons to cover the top of the bottle 4.witha waterproof hood that iits over the mouth of :the bottle and which is provided with a skirt that is held in position around the neck of the bottle by means of a .rubber band. Waterproof hoods of this type may be employed alone, but are usually applied over a pasteboard stopper which is depressed in a recess in the mouth 4oi the bottle.

Devices which have been heretofore provided for applying a hood anda constricting band have been complicated in design and have required considerable stretch of the band during the application oi.' the same tol the bottle. Furthermore, insuch devicesyno positive means has .been provided to remove the band from the apparatus. Accordingly, it has ybeen .necessary to .expand the band to such an extent that breakage often occurs duringapplication unlessa verygood grade of rubber is employed in such bands.

One object of my invention is to provide yan improved apparatus that is simple in construction and positive in its action for applying `hoods to bottles and the like and for Vbinding them in place.

Another object of my invention is .to yprovide an apparatus for hooding containers and apply,- ing an elastic band to the hood by means of'which the bands are subjected to a comparatively small and gradual expansion, so that .breakage of the bands will be `eliminated or .reduced to a minimum.

A further object of myinvention ,is to provide an improved mechanism by means y.of .which elastic bands maybe successively .and-positively applied around theskirtzof a'bottle hood-without excessively'stretching the bands.

A still further object .of`my invention is to l'provide an improved apparatus .for applying hoods and constriction bands to bottles-that js simple in construction, positive .sin Vits iaction, kand iby means of which a seal for a container `may be properly formed anda rubber band applied to Vtheskirtof .the seal by a simple mechanical operation without unnecessarily expanding the band.

My invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure l is an elevational view, partly in section, of my improved apparatus applied toa milk bottle, vthefhoodiormed and the lapparatusbeing in position to apply anV elastic band around the skirt of the hood;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view in a position similar to Fig. .1, one of the band carrying shoes being shown in dotted lines in a different f5 position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing the elastic band in a position to `be released from the supporting shoes;

Fig. 4 is a detailed view showing the shoes as 10 they are being returned to their initial position;

Fig. 5 is across sectional view of the line 5-5 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views on the lines -66 and l--l of Fig. 4; and l5 Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 2.

As illustrated in the drawing, my improved `apparatus comprises ametal tube I provided with a plurality of elongated slots or apertures 2 in 20 proximity to its lower portion. The lower portion Vof 'the tube I makes an engaging t with a boss 3, which extends upwardly from a die or forming cup 4.

The die 4 hasa-,downwardly inclined portion 5 25 and isjprovided with a plurality of flanges 6 which extend vhorizontally from its lower portion. The horizontally extending anges 6 are uniformly spaced from each other and are so shaped that the outer extremity of each ange is substan- 30 tially straight.

Located between the outwardly extending flanges 6 and the tube I rare a plurality of angle irons 1. Each of the angle irons is composed o! a track portion 8 and a supporting portion 9. 35 The supporting portion 9 of each of the angle irons has an inwardly extending flange I0 at its lowerportion which is welded to the margins of each of the anges 6, and an upwardly extending flange II which is welded to the tube I. The up- 40 wardly extending flanges II on the supporting portion of the angle irons not only maintain the angle irons'in position but also serve as supports for a column I2 of elastic bands disposed on the `outside of the tube I.

The column I2 is formed'of rubber bands which are superposed upon each other and cemented together by a frangiblebinder, such as a light coating of shellac, paraflin, wax or cellulose esters. The amount of binding medium is sufficient to 50 hold the bands together so that the column may be readily assembled upon the tube I but is frangble enough to permit individual bands to be .readily separated from the column during the operation of .the device.

s illustrated in Fig. 8 of the drawing, the sup- Y porting portion of each of the angle irons extends substantially parallel with the outer extremity of each of the flanges 6 and the spaces between the flanges tare so arranged that when the supporting portions of the angle irons are secured in position, the track portions of two adjacent angle irons will extend over the spaces between the Y' flanges iandY will be substantially parallelwith Veach other, thereby providing a track or slide.

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing it Y will also benoted Vthat the flanges I5 and angle irons 'I are so arranged that/the track portion of each adjacent pair ofangle irons extends over the longated slots 2 Vin the pipe I. The track portion of each angle iron, however, terminatesH below the upper portion of the elongated slot, thereby forming a window'IS for purposes to be later' described. I

A' Mounted in the upper portion of the pipe I is a socket member'lil which is'held in place by suitable indents VI5 in the tube I. The socketmember I4 serves as a housing for a spring I6 which is seated upon the lower end portion of VtheY socket member.

The Yupper portion of the spring bears against a collar I1 which is affixed to an operating plunger IBand is held in posimetal strip 2|.

tion by acap I9V which is in threaded engagement with the upper end of the tube I.

The operating plungerY I 8 extends through apertures in the cap |79 and the socket member'll and is provided with an annular enlargement 20 which is disposed below the socket member I4. The enlargement 29 is Yprovided with a plurality of groovesgeach of which, provides a seat for a spring The metal strips 2|V are bent in- YV wardly at their upper ends and extend into grooves 22 Vin `the plunger I8. The metal strips areheld in iii-rn engagement with the enlargement by'means of cap 23,` which makes a pressing engagement with the enlargement 20.

Attached to the lower portion of each metal Y strip 2| is a shoe 24. The shoes 24 maybe attached to the metal strips in any suitable manner. As illustrated in the drawing, studs 25 on the shoes extend through apertures formed in the lower portion of the strips and are riveted Vor Y 1 to separate one of the, elastic bands from the column and retain it on the shoe during the operationV of the device. A cap 30 iits over the lower portionY of theplunger 6 andis provided with an outwardly extending iiange or disk 3l which bears against the strips-72| to tension the spring xnembers at the time the shoe is. forced through the upper window into engagement with the lowermost rubber band of the column I2.V

The operation of my device will be apparent from the accompanying drawing, in which the apparatus is shown in position to apply a hood 32 to the top of a milk bottle as' and'bind theskirt of the hood with a rubber band 35. The milk bottle is of the ordinary type and maybe provided. with the usual disk closure which fits invsideof thebottle. I'he hood may be formed of regeneratedcellulose or any suitable waterproof material and is preferably transparent so that the name of the dairy and other data placed upon the disk will not be obscured.

In the initial position of the .apparatus the metal strips 2| are pressed outwardly by the disk 39 so that the outer portions of the shoes 24 are .5

forced through the windows I3 formed at the upper portions of the elongated slots. During this outward pressure the wedge shaped projections 29 on the upper portion ofthe shoes separate the lower band from the column I2. Y plunger |-8 is then forced downwardly,eitherby.. manual or automatic pressure, until the capl 30 strikes the boss 3. During this operation the lugs 26 carrying the elastic band are forced downwardly and outwardly on the slide formed by the track l5 portions 8 of theV angle irons, thereby causing a gradual expansion of the band. When the shoes reach the lower portion of the track the strips 2| spring inwardly against the inclined portion 5 of the die and the shoes are interposed in the space 20 between the flanges' 6. i

The pressure is then released and as the plunger` is forced upwardly by the spring I6 the band is positively removed from the shoes in the desired .position by means of the iianges 6. The contrac- 25 tion of the released band forces the skirt 34 of the hood firmly and positively against the neck of the bottle. As the upward movement of the metal strips'tog'ether with the shoes attached thereto, is continued the'shoes ride over Va cam 36 that is 80 welded or otherwise secured to the inner face of the upper extremity of the track portions 8 of the angle irons. The disk 3| then forces the lugs '25 outwardly through Vthe windows I3. the wedge shaped projections 29 engage an additional band. 35'

and the operation is repeated. The hammer Yblow of the shoe upon the lower rubber band. in passing through the window, assists in breaking the binder that holds the bands together in the col- From the foregoing specification it will be apparent that I have provided an improved apparatus for applying hoods and binding them to containers and other articles that is simple in construction and positive in action.

It will also 'be seen that, since in my approved apparatus the elastic bands are carried to the proper position and positively removed, the degree to which they are expanded may be safely maintained within the elastic limit of the bands 56 and breakage will therefore'be eliminated or reduced to a minimum.

It will also be seen that in my improved apparatus the elastic bands are gradually expanded during the operationV of the apparatus to a diameter only slightly greater than the container to which they are to be applied and are positively released so that they will be deposited around the neck o-f the bottle at the proper position. Y 1 l To those Vskilled in the art many modiiications 60 and Widely different embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit andr scope Y thereof. My disclosurev and description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to Vbe in any sense limiting.

What I claim is: Y l. An apparatus for applying yhoods to containers comprisingmeans for shaping a. sheet of material over and around the top `oi! the con- 'I0 Y The 10v tainers comprising a die for shaping sheet material over and around the top of the container to form a covering and a skirt, a carrier for delivering an elastic band to a position surrounding the skirt, and means associated with said die for positively removing the elastic band from said carrier.

3. An apparatus for applying hoods to containers comprising a die for shaping sheet material over and around the top of the container to form a covering and a skirt, a carrier for delivering an elastic band to a position surrounding said skirt, means for returning the carrier to its initial position, and means associated with said die for removing the elastic band from the carrier as it is being returned to its initial position.

4. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to container hoods comprising means for maintaining a column of elastic bands in a position above the container, means for selectively transferring a band from the column to a position surrounding the container, means for gradually expanding the band during its transfer and means for positively releasing the band from the transfer means.

5. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to container hoods comprising means for maintaining a column of elastic bands in a position above the container, a plurality of inclined slides leading from said column to points in proximity to the outer surface of the container, a carrier cooperating with said slides for transferring an elastic band from the column to a position in proximity to the outer walls of said container, and means for releasing said bands from said carrier.

6. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to container hoods comprising a central tube for supporting a column of elastic bands, a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined slides leading from said tube to a position in proximity to the outer surface of said container, means cooperating with said slides for selectively conveying the elastic bands from a position around the tube to a position surrounding said container, and means for releasing said bands from said last mentioned means.

7. An apparatus for applying hoods to containers, comprising a forming cup for shaping sheet material over and around the sides of said container, means for supporting a column of bands above said container, a conveyor for selectively transferring bands from a position above the container to a position surrounding said container, and means associated with said forming cup for positively releasing the bands from the conveyor.

8. An apparatus for applying hoods to containers comprising a forming cup for shaping sheet material over and around the sides of said container, a plurality of spaced flanges extending outwardly from said cup, a tube extending upwardly from said forming cup, for supporting a column of elastic bands, a. plurality of slides secured to said tube and iianges, a conveyor cooperating With said slides for selectively transferring rubber bands from the column to a position surrounding said container and means for returning the conveyor to its original position,

said flanges being so positioned that the rubber 5 band will be removed from said conveyor during the return of the conveyor to its original position.

9. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to container hoods comprising-a tube for supporting a column of bands, a plunger, a plurality of shoes l0 attached to said plunger within said tube for making selective contact with one of said bands,

a plurality of slideways extending from said tube to a position around the container, said plunger being arranged to move said shoes down the slide- 15 ways to gradually expand the rubber band and means for releasing the rubber band from said shoes when it is in a position surrounding said container.

10. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to 20 container hoods comprising a tube having a plurality of elongated slots, a plurality of downwardly and outwardly inclined slides having flanges attached to said tube, for supporting 'a'. column of elastic bands, a plunger, a plurality 25 of shoes attached to said plunger and extending through the upper portion of said slots for engaging the lower band of said column so that when the plunger is operated, the rubber bands will be transferred to a position surrounding the 30 container, and means for releasing the rubber band from said shoes.

11. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to hoods comprising a tube for supporting a column of rubber bands surrounding said tube, a plunger, 35 a plurality of shoes attached to said plunger within said tube and extending through apertures in said tube for engaging the lower band of said column, said plunger being arranged to move the shoes downwardly and gradually out- 40 Ward to convey the rubber band to a position surrounding the container during the operation of said plunger, and means for releasing the rubber band from said shoes as pressure on the plunger is released. 45

12. An apparatus for applying elastic bands to hoods comprising a tube for supporting a column of rubber bands surrounding said tube, means for transferring a band from its position on the tube to a position surrounding the container, 50 means for gradually expanding said band during the transfer, and means for releasing said band from said shoes.

13. Apparatus for successively applying elastic bands to container hoods, comprising means 55 for supporting an elastic band, carrier means for transferring the band downwardly and outwardly from its initial position in such a manner that it will be gradually expanded during its downward travel and will be disposed about the hood 60 in spaced relation, and means operative during the initial upward travel of said carrier means to release the band from said carrier means whereby it will engage the hood.

WiLLrAM c. McCoY. 65 

